Residents want mega trucks out of their suburb
The large trucks that drive through Witfield, where they aren't permitted, have sparked complaints from residents.
They demand to know if the metro will ever take action against the truck drivers using Main Street as a shortcut to reach Jet Park industrial area.
Mega trucks reportedly drive on Main Street causing traffic congestion, accidents and making a lot of noise.
Even though there is road traffic sign at the corner of Main Reef Road and Main Street to remind drivers that trucks weighing more than four tons are restricted from driving on Main Street, drivers still fail to comply.
According to Ward 33 Clr Hilary Coke, although the area’s infrastructure was not built for trucks, unscrupulous truck drivers ignore the sign and simple drive through the area daily to reach Jet Park.
The Advertiser on Monday this week spent hours monitoring the street, and discovered that high volumes of large truck prohibited from accessing the area don’t adhere to the traffic laws and regulations.
The Advertiser witnessed scores of truck drives simple ignoring the no-truck signs posted at the entrance of both sides of Main Street.
Most of these trucks come from Wit Deep Road, take Main Reef Road, turn into Main Street at the traffic light and then travel through Witfield to get to Jet Park industrial area.
Coke says the answer to this problem is for the EMPD to begin enforcing the restrictions on truck traffic in the area.
“The metro police must begin to monitor the area and issue tickets to drivers who continue to violate the rules. These mega trucks pose safety risk, damage the road and worsen traffic congestion in Witfield. We had a heavy truck pass through and it caused a big accident on Monday, September 1,” says Coke.
The metro has been approached for comment. – @FanieBoksburg
